Star Fox Holiday Romance Oneshots
by Jedelas
Summary: A collection of oneshots for almost each special holiday! Enjoy the romance! Rated T just to be safe.
1. A Krystmas to Remember

_****_**Author's Note: Hey guys! Jed here! I decided to work on something special for the occasion. Originally, I had planned to write a chaptered Christmas Special but scrapped it. Instead, I worked on this for the past few days! This is my first one-shot and I hope you'll enjoy it! I swear, I'm better off doing chapters than one shots. xD**

**Along the way of writing this, I also came up with an idea to write a one-shot for almost each special holiday. So here's the first of Jed's Star Fox Holiday Romance One-Shot collection! Hopefully this first one turns out great! And please leave a review if you like this! I'm eager to hear your feedback!**

**Enjoy!**

_**A Krystmas to Remember**_

…O…O…O...O…O…

"_It's that time of the year folks! The snow starts to fall. The lights are shining around houses and trees. The children play around building snowmen and wishing for their presents. That's right! It's Christmas Eve! It's not only a kids' favorite, if you got someone special, you could-"_

"TV off," the vulpine voiced out in a commanding tone, instantly turning off the holographic television within the lounge.

He'd always dreaded this time of the year. Ever since he had gotten the news about- He shook his head, trying his best to not think of it. Instead, he looked down at the coffee table in front of him, sitting on the flat glass surface was a cup of warm chocolate. He smiled, as he recalled who made him that cup of beverage.

_Just four months since she came aboard and only a month after she'd completed the flight course._

The person in his mind not only impressed him, she amazed him. Though he kept denying it, he knew he'd already had an attraction for her ever since they met on Sauria. He turned the cup around, the words on the curved surface slowly came to view. _Knight in Shining Armor, _he chuckled at the words imprinted on it but he pondered about it.

_She bought me this…Why do I keep thinking there's a hidden message in this._

He shook his head muttering, "keep dreaming, McCloud. Keep going about in your fantasy." He sighed afterward, taking a sip of the chocolate and smiled.

It was actually quite nice despite it being a bit sweeter than usual. Taking a few more sips, he stood up from the couch and walked across the lounge to the kitchen at the back of the large room. Finishing the last of the tasty brown beverage, he turned on the tap of the sink, allowing the water to start running for a second before the last of the chocolate was finished.

He quickly washed the mug before setting it by the side of the counter. Licking his lips of the leftover stains, he walked his way out the lounge. Stopping just out in the hall, he glanced around and sighed sadly, feeling the near emptiness of the Great Fox.

Slippy had his parents to visit to. Peppy had his kids and other family members. Hell, even Falco decided to visit his parents this year.

_But you're not the only one who's lonely._

He looked to the left, down the hall where each member's personal rooms were. Specifically, he was staring at the door where their newest member resides in. She had recently left him in the lounge to meditate. But he knew that was a lie. When she was leaving the rec room, the vulpine couldn't help but notice the redness in her eyes and the slight hint of sadness in her tone when she had said it.

If there was ever an occasion where she'd cry in front of him, he wouldn't have been able to stand it. It'd feel like sharp shrapnel stabbing into his heart if he was to see her in tears. During her time on the ship, she'd told him a lot about herself, more than he'd expect her to share since they've only known each other for half an year. She had lost everything, more than he did. He couldn't just sit around thinking he's the most miserable animal in the whole universe when someone else, especially someone he had loved lost even more than he did.

_I can't let her be like this, I'm not gonna just stand there, I'm going to make this her best Christmas ever._

With a determined grunt, he nodded to himself before heading down the hallway only to stop mid-step. What could he do to make it the best? Should he ask her out? No, she'd probably refuse the offer, who'd want to go out with a mercenary like him anyway? He sighed, scratching his head as he continued to think of a way to cheer her up.

_It's almost Christmas Eve too…_

As if he messed up in a major science project in school, the vulpine smacked the side of his noggin a couple of times, cursing himself for not thinking about it.

_A present! Of course! What took me so long to figure that out?!_

He sighed, calming himself down before walking again. Stopping in front of the shut slide-door of her room, his ears twitched as he heard something behind it. Curious to what's happening on the other side, he walked closer and pressed his ear against the door. What the sounds were made him grit his teeth. He could hear her sobbing, speaking in her native language. He couldn't bear seeing or even hearing her cry. It only made the vulpine more desperate to get her something, _anything_ at this point.

Without hesitation, he quickly continued walking down the hall until he reached his room. Instantly placing his paw on the door, it responded with a soft hiss and slid from his view, revealing the messy chamber he proudly calls 'Bedroom'. Clothing, papers and other miscellaneous stuff littered everywhere. The large bed in the middle was not made, half the bed sheets drooped to the side and covered a good full foot of the floor beside it. He'd have to clean up the room later.

Turning back to his current objective of the day, he scrambled through the room, finding a pair of warm trousers that could protect his legs from snow and a heat-sustaining under shirt along with a khaki jacket. It wasn't much but he didn't care. What mattered most to him at this very moment was the present he's supposed to get for her.

Throwing on the last of his attire, he jogged out of his room and headed straight for the hangar. Passing by her room, he paused for a moment and noticed that she had stopped crying. From there on, curiosity took place and he edged closer to her bedroom door, placing his paw on it and the same hiss and slide followed.

The hallway light flooded her room, giving the carpet that cover the chamber's floors a lighter shade of violet. He looked up ahead, seeing the sleeping figure in the bed and walked up to it, trying his best not to make a sound as he inched closer until he reached the side of her bed.

He couldn't see her very well, but it didn't matter to him. Sleeping on the bed with her paws clenched onto the bed sheets was the sapphire vixen. He could see the tear stains around her eyes and he winced at it.

_I'm going to make sure that she'd never cry again…I must._

He slowly reached a hand to her, gently caressing the side of her beautiful face and feeling her soft fur against the palm of his paw. A very risky move but the vixen did not stir from it. He brushed away a few strands of hair that had made their way covering her face and sighed.

"I'll get you something special, Krys." He softly whispered to her even though she was sound asleep. "I promise."

With that, he walked away from her bed and left the vixen's room, leaving her there to continue her sleep. Knowing well what he's going to get her, he quickened his pace down the hall, reaching the elevator and descended down to the hangar of the cruiser. He looked at the hangar and sighed. Two of the Arwing launching pads were empty; the last two were set side-to-side with each other.

He jogged his way towards the two fighters, jumped into the cockpit of the closest one and switched up the systems. The engines grumbled to life as he tapped a few keys and opened a com link to the bridge. Not long later, a robotic head popped up from the hologram projector beside the com panel.

"Rob, launch me, I'm heading down to the city for a while." The vulpine requested as he continued to tap keys on the panel. "Take care of Krystal for me if she wakes up."

"Affirmative," Rob answered with his monotone voice. "Launching in three...Two…One."

At the exact time the robotic assistant had counted down to one, the Arwing shot forward, piercing through the passive barrier of the hangar and out into the dark void of space. He quickly danced his one of his paw on the panel to stabilize the G-diffusers while using his other hand to steady out his craft with one of the control sticks.

Not long later, his fighter was flying steadily down towards Corneria. He stopped his fighter as the com started beeping, beckoning him to answer. He tapped a key and answered the call and soon enough a head of a Corgi appeared on the projector with a headset that was standard for a space control operator.

"This is Corneria City Space Port control, please identify yourself before proceeding." The canine said through the com link, her voice was a bit more cheerful than the others. Then again, it was Christmas.

"This is Captain Fox McCloud of Star Fox, requesting to land on the city's port." He replied, waiting for her to respond.

"Captain Fox McCloud?" Her holographic head gaped at him which he only nodded in response. "U-Um…Sorry sir, I…"

Though hidden by both her fur and the bad display of the holo-projector, the vulpine could tell she was blushing. He furrowed an eyebrow, not really certain what's going on. He shook his head and cleared his throat before she continued where she left off.

"Sorry sir, I-I didn't know it was you…" She said shyly, causing him to grow more confused.

"Exactly why are you acting like this?" He asked bluntly.

"Oh, um…" She stuttered, her eyes darting around wherever she was. "Well…You're _the _Fox McCloud right?"

"Yes, so?"

"Well, sir…You're actually quite famous."

He raised an eyebrow in amusement. "I guess so…But-"

"Anyway, um…You're cleared!" She cut him off, giving him a sheepish smile before cutting the com link.

The vulpine allowed his craft to hover in space for another few seconds, dazed in confusion from what just happened. In truth, he haven't visited Corneria for a really long time, he'd thought that the Cornerian Military would take the credit for whatever mission the team had completed.

_Apparently not._

He shrugged it off and started up the engines again. Tapping away on the controls, he re-adjusted the G-diffusers for atmospheric breaching. Finally satisfied, he slowly pushed the controls forward, bringing the fighter down at an angle. Soon enough, the nose of the Arwing started to glow as his craft penetrated the planet's atmosphere.

The vulpine sighed as the heat seeped through. Sometimes, he wished that the atmosphere worked like the weather below it. So he wouldn't need to feel the heat caused from breaching it. He looked down, watching as the clouds grew in size as he continued to descend onto the blue planet.

Soon enough, the nose of his fighter stopped glowing and the temperature inside the cockpit started to lower back to its original degrees. The sky itself was still black, but he couldn't tell if he was still in space theoretically or if it was the night sky. Looking around, he saw the bright Cornerian moon to his right and let out a feh. The last time he looked at what time it was, it was a quarter past midnight, and that was probably a few hours ago. He had to pick up the pace before she wakes up.

He descended through the clouds, the present for the vixen was the only thing in his mind right now. Only a minute later, the clouds parted and revealed the coastal city below and the space port on its own island to the right side of the city's coast.

Another beep sounded through the com as he continued to lower his altitude. He tapped the answer key and the same Corgi appeared on the projector with a worried look. From what it looked like, something was wrong.

"Yes?"

"So sorry, sir!" She blurted out, her voice was higher pitched from before. "I forgot to tell you which hangar you're supposed to be assigned at! I'm so so sorry!"

"Calm down, don't worry about it." He assured her, smiling and causing the young canine to blush.

"U-um…The hangar you're assigned to is private, S-14."

"Alright, thanks." With that, he gave her a nod before closing the link again.

He steadied his craft as it went down closer to the port, more and more details were beginning to be revealed and it surprised the vulpine. The space port itself looked jam-packed as it was. The air fields were covered with various flight crafts of all shapes and sizes. Some were able to reach space, some were simple aircrafts. He was probably lucky that the private hangars were reserved for more important people and such.

Stopping his descent only a few meters away from the ground and just enough to hover over most of the grounded crafts below, the vulpine began searching for his assigned hangar. At first it seemed like a normal landing, but soon a random holler caught his attention. He looked to his left to see an excited group of animals looking up at him.

Their calls were muffled but he was certain they were calling his name. He didn't really know what to do about this. Hovering through the spaceport he glanced down and decided to do something that he'd regret later; He waved at them. Soon, his unique fighter had attracted more of the people below. From what he remembered, only Star Fox had been using Arwings.

"This'll be troublesome…" He muttered as he continued to find his assigned private hangar.

He glanced down behind him to see a large crowd of animals following him like a leader on a flying chariot leading an army. Was he _that _famous? As much as he wished that the crowd would stop following, he couldn't help but feel proud of himself from all the attention he's getting. He gave his forehead a pat and sighed

"No, focus…You're not Falco, you can't let your ego get the best of you." He scolded himself, trying his best to ignore the ever growing crowd that tailed behind him as he continued to hover across the air fields.

Soon, he found it. The place in mind was lined along a row of small hangars big enough for a shuttle to fit in. As he approached the lane, the securities below started to form a wall to keep the crowd from entering this area of the space port. He sighed in relief as he landed inside the hangar he was assigned to. Just by the entrance to the building was the ship caretaker, an ursine from the looks of it.

He killed the engines as soon as the fighter's landing gear touched ground, opening the cockpit and jumped onto the wing. The cold air struck him, causing the vulpine to tug on his jacket collar closer to his neck as he got off the craft. Now he was able to get a better look at the figure that would be taking care of his ship. He wasn't a bear. In fact, he was a pug in a bunch of winter wears. Now that he thought of it, the canine looked a lot like a ball of clothing with arms and legs.

"G'morning, sir." The bulldog tipped his hat as a greeting.

_Morning?_

"Uh…Morning, what time is it?"

The pug brought his arm up, pulling back the sleeve to reveal an old fashioned watch on his wrist before answering, "it's currently five, sir."

_Good god, it's that late already….Or early? Hell, I have to get that present and fast!_

"Alright, take care of the Arwing for me. I'll be back roughly an hour or so." He quickly paced his way towards the exit at the back of the hangar.

_I should've worn more clothes…_

As he exited the hangar, a harsh chill blew past him, causing him to shiver. Now he knew the full scale of how cold this winter was. He looked up at the dark sky only to see it covered by clouds. He let out a frustrated growl and quickly trudged his way through the thick layer of snow from the previous snowfall. As he moved through the airfield, he looked around cautiously, trying his best not to get anyone's attention as he neared the closest terminal.

Unfortunately due to his attire, he couldn't mask very well. The white line of fur on top of his head was still exposed while the jacket's collar could only cover half of his face. This wasn't turning too good for him. Up ahead was a bunch of animals going about their own business within the air field. But from his previous encounter, these people would probably tackle him with autographs and such.

Luckily as he continued to walk, he noticed a hat sliding across the ground in front of him. Wasting no time, he chased it, grabbing it by the brim and studied it.

_Well, I guess I still have some luck with me._

He patted the snow off of it and plopped it on his head, his left paw holding down the top of the hat from letting it blown off by the wind and his right hand tugged on his collar to hide his identity. Taking in a deep breath, he carried on walking. Amazingly, the trick worked as he strolled by groups of animals without them noticing who he was.

Sure there were a few curious glances but that's all the vulpine ever received. He was content with that and hoped it would last just a bit longer as he approached the set of double doors that lead into the terminal.

…O…O…O…O…O…

"Mm…" She moaned as she stirred from her sleep.

Rolling to the left side of the bed, the vixen found herself unable to go back to her dreams. She frowned as the realization sank in, at least when she dreamt, she could be with her family. But something caught her attention, or some _smell_. It was a scent, a really familiar scent that she seemed to grow to love. It belonged to him.

She breathed it in and then sighed. Since his scent was here, that just meant he must've entered her room without her permission. But that didn't bother her. What bothered her was the probability of him seeing the evidence of her crying.

_He must've known…_

She sat up, rubbing her eyes before allowing her vision to adjust to the darkness of her room. She glanced to her left, seeing the red numbers highlighted on the far wall to see the time; Six o'clock. It was morning. She yawned, crawling her way to the edge of the bed before her foot touched the soft carpeted floor. Sitting on the side for a moment with much thoughts swirling, she couldn't help but allowing her mind to rest upon the vulpine again and again.

_He's the closest friend I have right now…No he's more than a friend…He's…_

The vixen shook her head, she couldn't seriously been falling in love with him that fast. But once she thought about them coupling together, her lips curled up into a smile. To think of it, she really didn't mind falling for him so fast. No, she's all for it.

_Speaking of Fox…_

Her ears twitched as she closed her eyes once again, her mind scanned the surround area only to come up with nothing. She frowned in confusion of not picking up any thought patterns in the living quarters of the ship.

_Maybe he's at the Bridge or the hangar._

She shrugged, deciding that she'd take a shower first. Finally pushing herself off the bed and onto her feet, she walked towards her personal bathroom. Stripping out of her clothes, she stepped into the shower and adjusted the water temperature. The warm droplets that trickled down her body was soothing, it helped her relax herself and kept her from thinking of the past.

But again, her thoughts drifted back to the vulpine. But this time, she pictured herself being held within his arms, imagining the feel of his fur brushed against her muzzle as she buried her head into his chest. His strong arms protecting her from all harms and evils. His strong youthful voice. The feel of their lips pressed against each other, the taste…

She sighed, looking up at the plain white tiled ceiling above. "If only…"

...O…O…O…O…O…

Standing in the middle of the crowded terminal, the vulpine looked up at the signs to see which way was the exit. It had been so long since he'd been here. The port had changed a lot over the eight years. Finding that the nearby signs didn't help much, he chose another random direction and continued searching for a way out of the place.

As he walked, he glanced to his right seeing a clock hanging from one of the reception counters. It was already half past six, he'd already wasted valuable time just going through the space port. He growled before looking the other way and noticed another bunch of signs. One of them lead to the exit, it was right behind him.

"Great…" He muttered, doing an about-turn and half jogged his way in that direction.

Pushing past the ever-moving crowd of the port, he finally reached the exit, leaving the building and embraced the chilly outdoors once again. Snow had started to fall gently but it wouldn't be long until the wind kicks up and turn it into a snowstorm. Scanning the drop-by lane, he noticed a line of hover-taxis standing by for customers who needed a ride into the city, which was what he need.

Quickly, he made a bee-line to the most fore front cab and got in, closing the door shut before taking off his hat and sighing in relief.

"Can I help you-" The cab driver's eyes grew wider as he looked at the rear-view mirror at him. "F-Fox McCloud?"

"Uh…Yeah." Was all he could simply answer.

"My god, it is you! I get to drive the Hero of Lylat across town!"

"I guess you could say that but please, keep it down a bit." He gestured to lower the volume of their voices. "I don't want to attract another giant crowd."

"I thought you'd enjoy such company." The driver joked, letting out a small chuckle.

"No, I don't really."

"Alright then, where do you want to go?"

"Well if you don't mind, I'd like to enter the city first before deciding where in the city I want to drop off by." He looked out the window, watching the activities all around the terminal's entrance and frowned. "Besides, I only came down here to buy something."

"Ah, alright then." The cab driver turned to face him, revealing his feline features. "Name's Carl, at your service!"

"Pleasure to meet you, Carl." He briefly nodded, looking out again and accidentally made eye contact with a female vixen which seemed to be in her late teens. "Uh…Let's get out of here."

"Right!" The cat started up the engines, hearing a humming resonating from under their feet. "Corneria City, here we come."

With that, the hover-taxi sped away from the port and started crossing the long bridge which connected the space port island to the city itself. The vulpine slumped back on his seat, his arms tired from trying to cover up his most known features. He let out a long drawn-out sigh as he eased a bit as if he had been holding his breath for hours.

"What gotcha so worn out?" The feline driver asked, seeing the tired look in the celebrity's eyes.

"It's nothing, I guess it's because I didn't sleep for the whole night."

"Why couldn't ya sleep?"

He shook his head, not wanting to tell the cat what's troubling him. Instead he looked out the window to see the first hints of sunlight over the horizon. It was quite a magnificent sight to behold but he felt something missing, turning to look at the empty seat beside him. He didn't know why but for once, he imagined the blue vixen sitting there, her hand held in his and smiling at him as they enjoyed the view.

"McCloud, sir?" The feline's voice snapped him from his trance.

"Huh?"

"Never mind, I shouldn't be diving into someone else's business." Carl waved, deciding to switch the topic. "This is your first time in almost a decade to be back in the city, right?"

"Yeah, eight years to be exact." He looked out to see Solar rising again, this time half the star was above the horizon.

"Man, the city changed a lot during that time."

"I can tell." He shrugged, facing back to the front. "Trying to find my way out of the space port was enough proof of that."

The two shared a small laugh at that, crossing the last of the long bridge and entered the down-town district of Corneria City. The first things that greeted them were the tall glass-covered skyscrapers that towered over the coast, followed by the ever hateful traffic jams of rush hour in the morning. The cab driver grumbled at the unpleasant sight of a red light a few cars ahead.

He glanced at the clock of the cab, wondering how much time had been used. Fifteen minutes had passed since the last time he'd looked at the time. He could only wonder if the vixen had woken up already or was she still sleeping. Finally, he felt the slight movement of the cab, indicating that the light turned green.

"Sorry 'bout that," the cat adjusted his cabby hat as he continued to drive deeper into the city. "So, you got a place in mind yet?"

_Nope, not like I know what to get for her anyway._

He simply looked out to the street, watching the shops pass them by as they continued to drive through. Suddenly, an idea sparked in his mind. Though it seemed farfetched, the thought of jewelry crossed his mind. And as if by coincidence, he spotted a jewelry shop up ahead. It looked extremely high class even from the distance they were at as the decorations were more than elegant. But that didn't matter, he immediately patted Carl on the shoulder.

"Mind stopping by that shop over there?" The vulpine pointed at the store in question, causing the cat to furrow a brow with a small smirk.

"The Fortune Jewels? High class jewelry, not able to sleep, now I get it!" He turned to look at the fox. "You're gonna propose?"

"What?! N-No, of course not!" He blurted, he could feel his cheeks burn in embarrassment. "It's just a present…"

The cat only gave him a sly look in response but ultimately gave up. "Ah, whatever."

Waving it off, the cab driver parked the vehicle in front of the shop, looking around to see if there were any police patrolling that might catch them and give them a parking ticket. He gestured the vulpine to hurry it up and come back after getting the 'present'.

Without hesitation, he nodded and sprang out the cab, entering the store as soon as possible to avoid anyone seeing him. As he got in, he was greeted by the warmth of room temperature followed by a few awkward stares. He glanced around, noticing that he was the first customer of the day. There were three figures all dressed in the same attire and sorting out their jeweled products but stopped at the vulpine's sudden entrance.

He cleared his throat and walked over to the closest shop staff; a finely dress-uniformed spaniel who gave him a weary glance. "Uh…I would like to see if I could get a present for someone special."

"O-Oh, excuse us, we um…" She stuttered, giving half a laugh as she did so. "Thought you were going to rob us from the way you came in and…" Her eyes looked him over.

Now he noticed it, the way he always tugged on his collar and how his other seemed to always conceal itself inside the jacket as if he was hiding something like a weapon. He smacked himself on the fore head and sighed, voicing out his apology gruffly before looking back up to see the spaniel smiling a bit.

"You're that Fox McCloud, aren't you?" She asked curiously which he nodded in response. "My goodness, the legendary hero of Lylat browsing our wares!"

"Well uh…"

"Please, don't worry. We won't go around bragging about it." She smiled. "Now, what type of jewelry would you want for her?"

He looked up thoughtfully, his eyes scanning the displayed bundle of all types of shiny accessories. Finally coming to a decision, he looked back down with a determined look.

…O…O…O…O…O…

Her bedroom door hissed and slid open before she stepped out, dressed in a warm cozy tan sweater and grey sweats. The vixen didn't bother dressing up too much on the ship, it was their home after all. Padding her way down the hall, her eyes searched around looking for the vulpine. It worried her, she couldn't sense his thought patterns and she couldn't even feel his presence anywhere. The only indication he was around was his scent.

Following the vulpine's scent, it led her into the lounge, her ears twitching around as her eyes scanned the area before frowning. He wasn't there. The last time she saw him, he was laying down on the couch and watching the holo-TV. She sighed in disappointment.

_Where'd you go Fox?_

But the sudden growl from her stomach caught her attention. She hummed thoughtfully as she rubbed her empty belly, wondering what she should eat for breakfast. Walking over to the kitchen counter, she noticed the mug she'd bought him sitting on the surface and smiled at the thought of how he reacted when she made him some hot chocolate last night and the conversation they had.

...

"Here you go!" She had said in a cheerful tone, causing him to jerk from lying down on the sofa. She'd giggled and handed him the cup of recently made hot coco.

"T-thanks." He accepted the mug and took a sip before setting it down on the coffee table in front of him. "Well, the ship's emptied."

"Not quite." She sat next to him as the vulpine continued to flip through the channels. "We're still here, so it's not that empty."

"I guess so."

Silence filled in between them, her mind desperately urging her to break the silence. But what should they talk about? She shifted uncomfortably as her thoughts swirled with questions and some unwanted answers. She looked over to him, seeing him stare at the holo-TV with tired eyes. It didn't really look like the Fox she knew for the past four months, always energetic, determined and sometimes cheerful. Now, he looked depressed of something as if he'd...

"What's wrong?" She asked, unable to hide the concern in her voice.

"Huh? Oh, nothing..." He merely stammered, sitting back up in a straighter position.

"Don't you have anyone to visit?"

His ears drooped a bit after she'd said it. Soon enough, he turned to face her with a weak smile. "Nope."

Sudden realization hit her, causing her to bit her lower lips and mentally scold herself.

_Great, now you know the reason. Happy yet?_

"I'm sorry to hear that..." She managed to say, glancing down at the floor.

"Don't worry, you didn't know." He assured her, looking up at the ceiling. "I've gotten over it a long time ago."

She lifted her head up to see his emerald eyes staring up and attempting to hide the sadness. She shouldn't have asked but now that she thought of it, dreaded memories began to surface from the depths of her mind. Her vision became a bit watery but she quickly lifted a paw up and rubbed her eyes while he wasn't looking.

"What about you?" He finally asked, causing her to freeze what she was doing.

Looking back down on the floor, she allowed the bangs of her hair fall as to cover her face before answering. "No..." She could sense his thoughts, they were pretty much guilt-riddled from asking her.

_"Stupid me...I should've known! Damn it she told me about it before! Why'd I have to ask that?!"_

Not bothering to let him apologize, she turned to face him and gave a weak shaky smile. "It's alright though...Like you, I've gotten over it as well.

She knew that was a lie but she didn't want the vulpine to get involved. But to her surprise, he changed the topic before she could think of one.

"So...Now you're an official member of Star Fox." He'd said, giving her a smile. She actually managed a small giggle at that.

"Fox, you've said that like a month ago."

"Did I?"

She merely nodded, mentally thanking him for switching the topic. Though the thoughts of her past were still there, he'd blurred it out a bit and allowed her to change her focus to something else. She could focus on him. Strangely, the vixen had grown to love his company more than usual and she'd guess there's more than comfort in those feelings. She couldn't deny the feel of longing for him, her attraction towards him. It was obvious to her but she'd made sure that he didn't know of them.

Suddenly, she was cut from her train of thoughts as the holo-TV started to play a festive song that fitted the time of the year and she recognized it all too well. As it continued to play, memories resurfaced and flooded her mind. She didn't know how long could she keep her emotions bottled up and she definitely didn't want to find out. She stood up from the couch, causing him to look up at her with a confused gaze which she managed to pull a fake smile in response. She didn't want to have the vulpine see her in tears.

"Where are you going?" He asked in curiosity but she could make out the slightest hint of concern.

"I'm just going to meditate back at my room." She lied again before heading for the exit of the lounge, stopping at the doorway. "Good night, Fox."

"G'night Krys, Merry Christmas."

She froze at his words, those two words that she'd not heard in years. Turning back, she allowed another weak smile spread across her muzzle. "Merry Christmas to you too Fox."

...

She sighed as she left the lounge, making her way to the Bridge. If Fox wasn't in the lounge or any living quarters of the ship, he must be in the control deck. Stopping at the doorway leading into the Great Fox's Bridge, she placed her paw over a scanner by the side. It's laser scanned through her hand before a satisfied buzz was sounded from the system. She stepped into the room, only to be greeted by Rob as he continued to maintain and check the ship's system.

"Hello Krystal." The robot greeted her with his monotone voice.

"Hey..." She glanced around. "Where'd Fox go, Rob?"

"He went down to Corneria for personal reasons."

"Oh..." She murmured, her gaze lowering to the floor and sighed in disappointment.

_Since he's down there on his own errands, what should I do_?

She hummed deep in thought as she thought of something to do. Looking back up, half her conscience drifted off with her thoughts while the other admired the blue planet that the ship orbited around of. Her eyes glinted thoughtfully as an idea came up.

_Maybe I should get him a gift._

It felt like a great idea. Unfortunately, she didn't know what he liked. But from all the time they had spent during those past four months, she could somewhat figure out what his preferences were. A smile made its way across her face as she continued to plan. Turning around, she walked out the Bridge and strolled through the empty hallway still thinking of what she should get for him.

Finally reaching the hangar, the vixen jumped into her Arwing and tapped on the systems of the ship. She fired up the engine last, hearing the humming coming from behind her. Double checking her systems, she tapped a key and opened up a com link to the bridge.

"I'm going down to Corneria, Rob." She said as she continued to check over her fighter's system. Finally satisfied with the systems, she continued. "Launch me please."

"Launching...Three...Two...One..."

Her Arwing shot out from the hangar, entering the blackness of space. She tilted her controls and banked her fighter towards Corneria and slowly made her way to the planet, stopping at the lowest orbit before tapping on the com. A Corgi's head popped up from the holographic projector, smiling as she spoke through.

"Hello, this is Corneria City Spaceport Control." The Corgi welcomed. "How may I help you?"

"This is Krystal, recruit of Star Fox, requesting to land."

"Identifications please."

She sighed in frustration, switching her link back to the Great Fox. "Rob, I need you to send the Spaceport Control my mercenary ID and team certificate."

"Sending..." The robot responded.

She sighed and laid back on her seat, thinking once again on what she should get him. Even with all the knowledge she'd learned about him, she couldn't put a finger on what she should buy as a gift for him. But soon, the com beeped, causing her to snap from her train of thoughts and tapped the answer key. Instantly, the Corgi's head popped up again, her smile was smaller and her voice seemed less friendly as she spoke.

"Identifications confirmed. Please proceed to reserved hangar S-14." With that, she rudely cut off the com link, causing the vixen to furrow an eyebrow in confusion.

_Why did she act like that?_

Deciding not to bother with such things, she proceeded to check her G-diffusers before breaching the planet's atmosphere. As she descended, she half-hoped that he wouldn't bump into her. She wanted this to be a surprise for him and seeing him would be the last thing that would help with her plans. But then, she realized something that she didn't think of back on the Great Fox.

_What if he feels guilty that I gave him a present and he didn't? I don't mind if I didn't get anything...But he'd treat it like it's a big deal..._

She bit her lips at the thought of that. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea after all. But now that she's out here, she couldn't go back again and wait for him to come back. No, she's not going to do that, she's going to give him a present and that's her final decision. The rumbling of the atmosphere faded away and allowed more gentler sounds of the wind to replace it. Soon, her Arwing entered the clouds and continued to approach the city below.

...O...O...O...O...O...

"Mind hurrying it up a bit?" He asked Carl as they continued to drive through the streets of the city.

"I'm trying, buddy." The feline answered as they stopped again under a red light. "But the traffic's not gonna listen, ya know?"

"I get it." He sighed, rubbing the top of his head. "I'm just a bit...Worried."

"Worried about what? Being late?"

He nodded in response and eased back on his seat, glancing down to his side where a box wrapped finely with a bow of blue ribbon on top. He'd paid a lot for it, a total of two thousand credits and he hoped she'd like it. It wouldn't matter if she didn't, he'd go back to that store and buy a different one just for her. All he wanted was to see a genuine smile and the look of happiness on this special occasion, nothing else mattered to him right now.

"Why should ya worry so much?" The cat asked, looking over his shoulder at the wrapped up gift beside the vulpine. "I'm betting a full hundred that she'd like that."

"You think?"

"Hell, how much did you pay for it?"

"Three grands." He replied, looking back at the cat with a half-smile. "You really think she'd like it?"

He could only see the cat's wide-eyed expression and his hung jaw. He couldn't help but smirk at the feline's expression but he knew all too well that paying three thousand for a gift wasn't much, especially if it's for someone special. He'd actually pay more if necessary. The manager of the Jewelry store he was talking to had the price lowered just for him which he gladly accepted and had the gift wrapped up before bursting out the shop and hit the road once again. Finally, the feline answered and continued driving through the street.

"Holy smokes, you seriously got a fortune."

"No, not really." He said with an honest tone. "We're actually quite poor."

"Poor? You called _that _poor?!" The cat extended an arm and pointed at the gift. "I'll tell ya I've known and been poor and THAT is not poor."

He shrugged in defeat. "I guess..."

Soon, they made it out of the skyscraper forest, revealing the blue expanse of the ocean and the spaceport island in the distance. The bridge was only a few blocks to their left and it wouldn't be long before he's back on the ship with the present for the vixen he adored. It seemed that there wasn't going to be a snowstorm after all as he noticed how clear the sky was was already halfway from reaching the top of the sky, its radiance turned the sky to a lighter shade of blue which reminded him of her.

"Almost there." He let out under his breath as they turned a corner.

They managed to get out of the city and cross the half mile long bridge, the hover taxi quickly picking up speed as it continued on the empty pathway. The vulpine looked up at the sky, catching a small twinkle within the blue. Squinting his eyes, he focused on that spark in the sky and gasped in surprise. It was an Arwing and it disappeared behind the spaceport's walls, causing the vulpine to lean forward and pat Carl a bit.

"She's at the port! Hurry!"

"Alright alright!"

The hover taxi accelerated at top speed, dodging past slower vehicles along the way. For a moment, the vulpine marveled at how fast the taxi could go. Finally after a few long minutes of crossing the bridge, the cab driver parked right in front of the entrance and turned around to face the vulpine. To the feline's surprise, the vulpine shoved a hand at him, releasing a five-hundred credit bill in front of Carl before exiting the vehicle with the gift in the crook of his arm.

"Thanks Carl!"

"N-No problem?" He stuttered, his eyes glued to the five-hundred credit bill sitting in the middle of the cab.

Not even a second later, the vulpine burst through the entrance and caused everyone to look at his direction. He ignored it, dashing across the terminal in an orange blur. It didn't take long before everyone recognized him and the whole place started to trail behind him. Dodging crowds and making sure the box was still in his grasp, he looked for the way he came from.

"Fox McCloud!"

"It's him! It's the hero who saved us all!"

"Fox McCloud! Can I have your autograph?!"

He didn't pay attention to the ever growing crowd chasing after him, focusing on finding a way back to the hangars. Soon, he spotted a set of familiar double-doors up ahead and he pushed to his limits. Sprinting the last couple of meters, he abruptly stopped as the doors were opened and out came a slender blue vixen, nearly bumping into him. She stopped, their bodies only inches away from each other. Her head was drooped downwards, looking at the ground but once she halted, her head slowly looked up and revealed her beautiful turquoise eyes.

_She's here..._

_...O...O...O...O...O..._

Silence filled the air as everyone gathered around. The security blocked off the pursuing fans as everyone paid their attention at the two foxes standing in front of the doors. They stared at each other for a good two seconds before the vulpine in front of her spoke first.

"K-Krystal. I..Uh.."

Her eyes looked down at the box he'd been holding onto, seeing it wrapped up with an elegant blue ribbon bow. She let out a small gasp at the realization of why the vulpine had came down to the city for. She couldn't believe it.

_Is that...For me?_

She looked up again and saw the ever growing blush across his face and smiled. "Hi Fox."

She could see him trying to process his next move in his mind, the look in his eyes were enough evidence on what was going to happen next. He removed the gift from the crook of his arms and held it with both paws, extending it just a bit to her. She glanced at the gift and looked back up again, she couldn't stop her eyes from getting watery. And that's when he'd said those words again.

"Merry Christmas, Krys."

She reached for the gift, looking down at it. The rippling water in her eyes blurred her vision a bit as she untied the ribbon, allowing it to gently fall halfway as one of her paws caught it. She didn't know what to expect from him. Slowly but surely, she opened the box and let out a louder gasp at the present he gave her. Resting in the velvet cushioning inside the box was a golden necklace with a large sapphire shaped in a star outlined with small diamonds. She gently lifted it up and admired the sparkle it gave when she held it.

Looking back at the vulpine, she allowed him to take a good second to look at her reaction before lounging at him, her arms wrapping around his neck and her sudden embrace nearly knocking him down backwards. Now she couldn't hold it any longer and allowed tears to flow freely from her eyes as she sobbed in joy.

"Thank you Fox! Oh thank you!"

"Hey, anything for you." He cooed, his arms finally making their way around her.

She slowly pulled away, their eyes slowly locked to each other once again. She could feel the ever growing smile on her face, she'd never felt so emotionally good on this occasion for many years. And it made her realize something that she hadn't before. Looking deep into his emerald orbs, she could feel her heart flutter, a feeling of safety and an even stronger longing for him.

"Did you like it?" He asked her in his most softest voice she'd heard.

She looked down at the necklace in her paw, admiring its beauty before looking back up at him. "I love it, Fox...Thank you."

For another moment, the two of them stood there in silence, staring deeply into each other's eyes. But even at this moment, they'd finally realized the gathered crowd around them. They both glanced through the sea of people surrounding them and noticed the eager looks in their eyes. Some of them even pointed above them and caused the two to look up and realized why they were all acting like that. Hanging just a few feet above the two was a small patch of red berries outlined with lush green leaves; A mistletoe.

The two shared a small chuckle and lowered their gazes back on each other, seeing the desire between them. But she was the first to make the move, leaning in and pressed her lips against his and causing his fur to stand on end. While her mouth was firmly pressed onto his, she couldn't help but to take that moment to breathe in his scent as well. She loved it, every single second of it and she wouldn't dare leave from that spot.

Soon, she felt him returning the favor, his grip around her tightened and pulled her closer. She did the same, both of them allowed themselves to go wild over the kiss, opening up their mouths and let their tongues invade into each other, tasting their new mate. Everyone cheered at the scene, a scene that would stay in their minds and hearts for a really long time. After a long while, they broke apart and looked each other in the eyes lovingly.

"I have a confession to make." She murmured gently, waiting for a response from him before continuing. "Fox..." She started, seeing the tension between them beginning to rise. "...I...I love you."

Again she continued where they left off, not letting him answer back. But she noticed that he didn't mind at all. Giving in to the moment, the two of them continued to share the kiss, savoring it the best they could. Their grips on each other tightened and their kiss deepened. It could've been merely seconds, minutes or even hours but they didn't care. All their attention was focused on the one in front of them, the one they were kissing. But finally, their lungs won the struggle, causing them to break apart for air.

He leaned forward, resting his muzzle over her head, pulling her closer until she was against his chest. Her ear twitched as his breath tickled the sensitive fur, causing her to smile. Then he started to talk, his voice almost a whisper.

"I love you too, Krys. I've fell in love with you ever since I first laid eyes upon you."

They eased back to lock gazes, seeing the love and longing in them. But they were distracted by the large crowd gathered around them. She gave him a slight squeeze, bringing his attention back to her. Her tail swished to the side, brushing at his arms in the process as he looked back at her.

"Let's continue this on the ship." She suggested with a soft loving yet seductive tone.

He merely nodded, allowing the vixen to pull him behind the double doors and back to their Arwings. As they walked, she couldn't help but smile happily and her whole self swirling in anticipation. A single thought stuck in both their minds.

_This will be a Christmas to remember._

...O...O...O...O...O...

**Author's Note: And there you have it! My first one-shot! I'm not sure but I guess you can consider this as a Christmas present for you readers out there! This thing is 8,788 words! Wow that's a lot...For me anyway. xD**

**Again, I hope you enjoyed this. Leave your feedback, critique maybe and anything else! I really REALLY appreciate it, especially since I worn myself while writing this. I've put a lot of effort.**

**With that, Merry Christmas! Next shot; New Year's Eve!**


	2. New Year New Life

_****_**Author's Note: Hey there folks! Happy New Year! So anyway, this was inspired by Emile's Kursed/Fox one-shots he published earlier this month and here I am and wrote this! Now, I know upon New Year's Eve, it should be all fun and stuff but I took a different approach on this, since I'm writing a 'Love-hate' thing which I think would fit into the 'Romance' genre and stuff...**

**All in all, I had some snags writing this but I PUSHED THROUGH! And I would absolutely and must give a thousand thanks to Cpt. Fox for beta-reading this! He was tired as hell and still went through all he could to beta this and I extremely appreciate it. I'll have to say I felt like the luckiest new writer out there when he was the first to review my first story 'Last Wish' and even helped me beta through most of the chapters! Thank you Cpt. Fox for all you've done!**

**And of course, I hope you readers out there enjoy this and leave a feedback! I extremely appreciate them! Like really, a lot! I get motivated and pumps my writing engine up so I could continue to entertain ya'll!**

_**New Year, New Life**_

…O…O…O…O…O…

The streets of Corneria City was packed full of animals of all kinds as they scrambled about, preparing for the upcoming countdown that would be taking place the next day. Everyone had something in their minds for that special event. But the opposite could be said to the figure who watched from his hotel room's balcony. He seemed like a vulpine devoid of emotions as he stared down at the crowded city roads below. His emerald eyes had lost its youthful spark a long time ago.

He was leaning on the railing, watching as the animals below went from shop to shop. Such times meant nothing to him, not anymore anyway. He'd kept himself from society for a long time, allowing his name to fade away as nothing more than a forgotten memory to the public.

Finding the view of the city becoming less interesting, he walked back into his room, not bothering to turn on the lights since he had other things in mind. He strolled across the dark suite, opening the door on the other side and entering the light-flooded hallway of the five-star hotel. It seemed out of place for him to be living up here in a class suite. His attire was dirty, ragged and ripped at some parts of his clothing. He had a stench surrounding him, the type of an alcoholic that had been drinking for years.

Anyone who walked his way would give him a look of discomfort and suspicion. He couldn't blame them for that though, the only one to blame was himself. Ever since he'd kicked her off the team, all the choices and decisions he made had only worsened his life. He didn't know what he should do now besides hiding away from the public, only allowing a few contacts to keep in touch with him. But none of them were his past friends. They were companies who hires him to do their dirty work.

One of those contacts had booked him a long stay at this hotel.

"_It's a reward." _He had said to him. _"For all the stuff you've done."_

But he'd always had suspicion that there was more than that. It felt wrong. From what he had remembered, he really didn't do much for that contact. And even so, the tasks that he'd completed weren't grand enough for such a reward.

But it had been almost a whole week and nothing happened so far, causing him to wonder if he'd been too paranoid due to the lack of social interaction and past experience.

_Doesn't matter. Right now I need food, and that's what I'll go down to get._

He'd always hated the food served in the hotel, the luxurious and high-classed meals that never appealed to him. As he waited for the elevator to arrive, his mind drifted itself back to the past, reluctantly recalling those days he'd rather forget. Especially her.

Thankfully, he was snapped back to reality as a slight 'ding' came from the lift followed by the elevator's doors opening. But before he could take a step, a hotel staff member in the usual dress uniform bumped into him, pushing a cart of freshly cooked meals. She didn't bother apologizing. Instead, she gave him a glare with her deep turquoise eyes that seemed so familiar to him. For a second there, he mentally replaced the worker with the image of Krystal, and it matched her figure perfectly. The only difference being the look of her face which seemed to always form a scowl and her hair which reached to her shoulders and had a violet tint to it.

He continued to stare at her as she made her way down the hall but the closing motion of the doors broke his attention back to the elevator, barely able to press the 'open' button in time and stepping in. Throughout the past twenty seconds or so inside the lift, his mind never left the image of that lady.

_She seemed so familiar yet so foreign…_

He shook his head, deciding to focus on what's for supper instead. The lift doors opened just a moment later, allowing the vulpine to step out into the elegantly lit lobby of the hotel. Not much attention was drawn to him but he still felt a bit uncomfortable. He quickly shuffled his way out, avoiding any eye contact as he did so and finally entering the cold reality outside.

Glancing ahead, rather out of place, was a small store that sold cheap snacks and lunch boxes. He'd been going there quite often in the past week but he barely made much social interaction with the shop clerk. The vulpine stopped at the edge of the street, taking a second to make sure the coast was clear before finally walking across.

Reaching the store, the vulpine stepped in and triggered the chimes hanging beside the entrance way, alerting the store owner; an old looking badger with beard-like facial fur and a pair of small glasses. He'd always reminded the vulpine of Peppy, the old stern yet soft gaze and the features on his face.

"What's it gonna be this time, boy?" The old badger asked, returning his attention back to the newspaper he was reading.

The vulpine ignored him, walking past the counter and stopping at one of the many shelves filled with various food products. Seeing as there wasn't much else that he hadn't tried in the store, he went for the one that he most preferred; Ramen. Grabbing four packages of the noodles, he walked up to the counter and set them there, waiting for the store owner to name the price.

"Twelve credits." He bluntly said, not bothering to look at the fox.

He searched his pocket, digging out a twenty credit note from his fatigues and placing it beside the packets. But while doing so, he looked to the right and spotted the bottles of water standing in stacks at the back wall. Deciding that he might as well, he walked over and grabbed two of the bottles and walked back to the counter.

The badger gave him a smug look, extending a curled paw and releasing the change onto the counter; four credits. "You want a bag for it?"

He nodded, not bothering to give out a verbal answer.

The owner shrugged, reaching under the cover and pulled out a worn plastic bag and stuffing the vulpine's purchases into it before handing it to him. He took the bag from the badger's grasp and left without saying a thing, returning back to the street, crossing it and entering the hotel once again. But as he paced through the lobby again, he noticed the abrupt attention of nearby staff. They eyed him with fearful and cautious eyes and it only made the vulpine more paranoid about his surroundings.

Finally reaching the lift, he halted at the closed doors and glanced around. The hotel workers were still staring at him, adding to the discomfort he already had. His mind started to spin its cogs, predicting and playing scenarios of what would happen after he'd left the lobby.

_Ding!_ He jerked his attention back at the elevator doors, watching as they opened and bracing himself for anything that might come out of it. His paw resting on his blaster's holster, he stood ready as more and more of the lift was revealed.

Nothing…

He eased a bit, letting out a small sigh of relief as he took a step forward and stopped again.

_Wait…What if there was a bomb?_

The chance of someone planting a bomb inside an elevator that was commonly used by nearly everyone was near zero since the whole building would be in jeopardy and panic. But it was still a possibility. He took another step, slowly starting to walk towards the open elevator and causing more awkward attention from the surrounding animals.

After those few seconds of entering the lift, the doors closed, shutting the vulpine from the outside world. He let out another sigh before pressing for his floor, feeling the elevator ascending upwards accompanied by the old fashion music track faintly playing in the background. After a few seconds of silence, he felt the lift come to a halt followed by the usual 'ding' before it opened up.

Again, he allowed himself to be paranoid and popped his head out and looked down the hallway. Satisfied that there were no threats, he stepped out and continued back to his suite and jamming his key rather hard into the door and unlocking it. He struggled for a second to get the key out of the hole before entering and immediately shutting the door behind him.

He looked around the darkened room, feeling a lot safer than anywhere else he'd been. But he was wrong. As he took the next step, he couldn't help but hear the sound of something unsheathing- _WHACK! _He ducked and rolled to the side, glancing back to see a lash mark where he was just a second ago and slowly grabbed his blaster only to feel it empty.

"Looking for this?" The assassin stepped into the lighter part of the room, revealing herself to him. She was the same worker he'd bumped into earlier but now she was dressed in a type of armored flight suit covered by a small leather jacket. Held in one of her paws was his weapon while the other wielded a whip-like weapon that he'd never seen before.

He sighed and stood up. "Who hired you to kill me?"

She didn't answer, simply tossing his blaster in her hand as she continued to glare at him but finally answering. "You know who."

"No I don't."

"You're the same as usual." She muttered, causing him to furrow a brow.

"What-" Before he could ask her he side-stepped, avoiding another blow from the strange whip.

Without allowing the vulpine to finish, she charged at him with her whip pulled back and ready for another strike. He stepped back, readying himself as she lunged at him but failed to hold his ground as she collided against him, using her own weight to knock him down.

Within that small second, the vulpine could see the identity of his attacker much clearer than usual, especially those familiar turquoise eyes. He couldn't help but notice the slightest hint of heartache in them. But why? He grunted as the two hit the floor, the vixen on top of him while he landed on his side. He rolled away as she pulled out a knife from her thigh hilt and jabbed it onto the floor where he was a second ago.

_This can't be her…_

Unable to deny the fact that he knew his attacker, the vulpine merely got up to a kneeling position and watched as she pulled the blade from the carpeted floor, glaring at him. It couldn't be her, why would she be like this? But before he could voice those questions out, he ducked and rolled to dodge another lash from the whip.

_I need to get closer! I don't have anything to counter her from this range! Act quickly damn you!_

Without thinking, he scrambled to his feet and sprinted towards her, dodging the whip as he got closer to her. He ducked instantly as soon as they were in arm's reach, knocking her legs from under her and ripping the whip from her grasp. He watched for a second as the whip contracted and locked itself into a cylinder-like capsule and threw it out the balcony.

"Damn you!" Her voice caught his attention again as he turned and once again side stepped from a near fatal stab from her.

He grabbed her arm and broke her grasp on the knife and kicking it away before he did a quick motion and ended up behind her, locking her arms. She struggled vigorously to free herself but he wouldn't allow it, pushing her down to the ground and hearing a grunt from her.

"Krystal? Why are you doing this?" He finally blurted out, causing the vixen to freeze whatever struggle she had. "What happened-"

"It's what I'm hired for," she cut him off, turning her head just enough to glare at him. "I think that answer should be obvious to you!" Her voice grew higher as her eyes held her tears back.

"You accepted it?! Knowing that it was me?" He couldn't believe this, his grip on her arms loosened but it was a bad move.

Once his grip on her loosened, she jerked her arms away, quickly kicking the vulpine before jumping back up on her feet. She searched for the dagger, her eyes darting around as the vulpine struggled to maintain his balance from her kick. He watched as she picked up the knife again and charged directly at him.

"Yes I did!" She shouted, swinging the blade at him only to miss as he stepped back. "I gladly accepted the offer! Especially because of what you did to me!"

"What do you mean?" He couldn't fight back, only able to move backward and avoiding the vixen's wild slashes. "Krys! Stop!"

"It was _you _who did this to me!" She did a final jab and was able to cut the vulpine's arm. But her position gave him the opportunity to grab her again.

He wasted no time and snatched the blade from her hand and throwing it out the balcony like he did to her whip. Once again, he had her in a lock and this time he made sure he wouldn't allow her another chance to break it.

"Please, just listen to me…" He pleaded as she continued to struggle. "I-"

"I don't want to listen to anyone! Especially you!" She looked up with tear-filled eyes. It pained him to see her like this. "Someone like you doesn't deserve to be listened to!"

"Krystal I-"

"You what?!" She pushed on, her voice rising as they continued to argue. "You're going to kill me now?"

"What?! No! I'd never hurt you-"

She let out a laugh from his words. "You'd never hurt me?! Don't make me laugh you selfish bastard!"

Again, she broke from his grasp to the vulpine's surprise. But before she could throw punches or kicks at him, he grabbed her by the shoulders and forced her to the wall, his eyes flared with anger as he locked gazes with her.

"I only wanted you to be safe and happy-"

"Safe?! Happy?! Did you think that kicking me out and leaving me out there alone is going to make me happy?!" She interrupted him, growling as she shouted. "Do you know how much I've suffered since then?! Do you know how shattered my heart is?! I loved you!"

"I loved you too!" He yelled back at her but he softened his gaze as he murmured. "…And I still do…"

"No, Fox." She said coldly. "You don't Fox."

"I do!" He snapped his eyes back at her. "I only kicked you off because I was afraid of losing you!"

"Well you _did _lose Krystal! There's no more Krystal! She'd been cursed since she'd met you and now that's who I am! I'm Kursed!"

He winced, half from her words and the sting on his arm. He could feel his hand weakening as the blood flowed freely from the open wound. He wanted to make a rebuttal against her but the words wouldn't come out.

"You don't know how much pain you've caused…" She muttered, her head hung low as she continued. "…Because of you, I was called a traitor…I was mocked everywhere I went…" She looked back up as tears flowed down her cheeks. "…Did you think that's really what's best for me back then?! Tell me!"

"No, I-"

"Then why! Why Fox?! Why did you kick me out?! Why did you throw me away?! Am I that worthless to you?!"

"No! You meant the world to me!" He retorted, tightening his grip on her as he continued. "I never wanted this…"

"You're not the only one…" She tried again to yank free from him. "I won't let you hurt me anymore! I'll kill you!"

"Did you think you're the only one who's hurt?!" He finally snapped, unable to hold his emotions any longer. "Do you seriously think I was happy this whole time?!"

It was her turn to go speechless, surprised by the vulpine's outburst.

"For years after you disappeared, I've been searching for you! I wanted to start over with you! If I have to throw away everything I had just to be with you again then I would!" He shouted out in anger. "All I ever wanted was you!" He punched the wall beside her, creating a dent in the surface and causing her to look at him in fear.

He felt his head lighten and his vision becoming blurry. Looking down, he saw the puddle of blood that formed below them as the red liquid continued to ooze out and drip from his arm. He shook his head, trying his best to stay focused but unable to. He looked back up to meet her gaze, unable to see through the blur, he could only guess what the vixen's expression would be.

He let her go, stumbling backwards a few steps and dropping to the floor. Each breath he took felt heavier and harder as he continued to stare up at the ceiling. But stubborn as he is, he used the last of his strength to raise his head and looked at the vixen, still unable to see her expression but he'd guessed that she didn't listen to him anyway.

_If she really wants to kill me…I guess I can't do anything about it..._

…O…O…O…O…O…

She watched as he laid helplessly sprawled out on the floor, unable to process anything in her mind. The poison that coated the blade must have taken its effect and it wouldn't be long until he's dead. All she needed and could do was stand there and watch as the vulpine continued to lose blood from the gash on his arm. What should she do now? Half of her wanted to end him, for what he'd done to her but after hearing his words, she was left to question herself. His words continued to replay themselves in her mind as she stood there staring at him.

"_For years after you've disappeared, I've been searching for you! I wanted to start over with you! If I have to throw away everything I had just to be with you again then I would!"_

Her eyes moved from the vulpine's face to the wound, watching as the blood continued to ooze out from the wound. It flowed ever so slowly that it felt like time had slowed down. Her heart started to pound harder every second as she continued to stare at the red fluid. As she did so, the last part of what he said echoed in her mind.

"_All I ever wanted was you!"_

"Krystal…" His voice snapped her from the thoughts, causing her to look back at his face. "I know that you probably won't listen to me anymore but I'll say it anyway…"

"Fox…" She whispered to herself as she slowly walked up to the vulpine.

"…I'm sorry…" His voice began to trail as he spoke out, slurring every word. "…I'm sorry for what I did…But if you're not going to be satisfied until I die…Then I suggest you make it quick." He closed his eyes and smiled. "As long as you're happy, I'll be content…Even if I'm killed by you."

For a moment, the vixen felt scared. But she shouldn't be scared. Wasn't this what she wanted? But as she continued to stare down at the dying vulpine, the fear inside her doubled and continued to grow.

_No…This was how it should be! I hate him! This is what I want! To kill him! I can't-_

"Hey. Can I ask you something?" His voice was getting weaker by the second.

"Last words?" She guessed, the hint of fear clearly noticeable.

He let out a small chuckle. "You could say that…"

"Speak."

"Actually…It's more of reminisce and nostalgia." He sighed, opening his eyes again and allowing her to see the tears forming. "Do you remember when we landed back on Corneria after the Aparoids, we talked?"

"Yes…" She answered softly, her mind continued to swirl with mixed emotions.

"You said that you'd answer when the right time comes…" He took another deep breath, trying his best to stay conscious. "I was wondering if you'd answer that question now…"

She knelt down beside him, she couldn't help but allow more tears to flow down her face as she looked down at him. He would die any second from now and she would never see him again afterwards. Was this what she really wanted? Could she really live on without him? The more she thought about it, the more she realized the truth.

_I can't…_

She reached behind her back pocket and pulled out a syringe and placed a paw near his open wound. He groaned as she did so but never did anything else. She bit her lips as she tried to conclude her final decision in her mind before piercing the needle through his wound and injecting the green antidote into his system, getting a sigh from him as a response.

"Yes Fox…" She looked up to see his eyes slowly closing and his temperature dropping. "We'll be together forever."

…O…O…O…O…O…

_Am I still alive?_

As time passed by, he grew more aware of his surroundings without his vision. He could feel the soft floor that he laid. No, it wasn't a floor, it was bed. He could also feel the bed sheets covering him and a weight on his chest.

Soon, his eyes opened up slowly, the light within the room was unbearable to him at first but he soon adjusted his vision to the lighting and stared with a wide-eyed expression in front of him. For a moment, he thought he was dreaming but once he tried to move his injured arm and winced at the pain, he realized that it wasn't the case.

She was sound asleep on his chest, her arms cradled her head while he could still see tear stains around her closed eyes. He only wondered how long had he been out cold. It seemed like she'd been sitting beside him for a really long time and he'd also noticed the change in her appearance once again.

Her hair retained its natural blue color but the length remained the same. She was now only wearing a simple white T-shirt and jeans. She no longer had a scowl on her face, replaced with the look he knew so well back when they were still together a few years back. And for some reason, he found her fur to be a much more vivid hue of blue. It reminded him of when she was first introduced to the team.

He couldn't help but smile as he slowly stroked her head, running his fingers through her hair and feeling the silky touch it gave off from it. But he probably shouldn't have done that. After a few moments, she stirred. Her ears twitched and she let out a sleepy sigh. He froze as her eyes met his, locking onto each other's gaze.

The vulpine wasn't sure what to do or say at the moment. He could see the change in her eyes. They no longer held hate or anger. Though the slight hint of heartache was still noticeable, her turquoise orbs were no longer unbearable to look at. Instead, they were rather soothing and addicting to him. For the next few silent seconds, the two continued to stare at each other. Soon enough, he was able to say one thing even if it was only a form of greeting.

"Hey…"

She didn't say anything, gently pushing herself up and back in a sitting position on the chair and looking at his wound. She reached forward and caressed the bandaged part of the arm, her features softening as she looked back up to him.

"I poisoned you." She admitted, returning her hand back onto her lap. "It was meant to kill you off."

He furrowed a brow in question. "Then how come I'm still here?"

"I…" She trailed off, hesitating for a moment before finally finishing her sentence. "I gave you the antidote."

He gave her a weird look. "I thought you-"

She didn't let him finish, pressing her lips against his and causing the vulpine to freeze in surprise. Soon though, he gave in to the feeling and pushed back, throwing his good arm around the vixen. He hardly remembered ever feeling so good in years. And because of that, he cherished this moment to savor her scent and taste as if they'd never see each other again.

After a few more seconds, they finally broke apart to breathe in air that their lungs so desperately need from that kiss. He looked at the vixen with a confused yet surprised expression, he'd never thought he would ever kiss her again and yet it happened just now.

_Does that mean that…_

"Yes Fox," she answered his unfinished thought. "I lied to myself."

"Krys…"

"If you died, especially by my own hands, I know I wouldn't be able to live." She looked up to him, staring deep into his emerald orbs. "I need you Fox…And I'm sorry…"

"I thought I was supposed to be the one who apologizes." He said softly, giving her a gentle smile. "Besides, I think I deserved-"

"No Fox," she cut him off, caressing his cheek. "Don't say that…Please."

He just nodded in response. After that last sentence, they allowed the awkward silence to fill the air between them. It gave both of them an urge to break the peace and start another conversation if only to lose the uncomfortable feelings they had. Soon, as if to answer their urge, the vulpine's stomach growled and caused the two to look at each other before sharing a small laugh.

"I'll cook you something to eat." She insisted, standing up and walking out of the bedroom and stopping at the door before adding, "I'll meet you in the living room."

"Okay."

With that, the vixen left him in the bedroom. After sitting on the bed for a few seconds, he finally got up from it and walked rather slowly to the doorway. Upon entering the living room, he noticed that the TV was on and it was only five minutes from the countdown.

_I've been sleeping for that long?!_

He looked to his left, spotting the vixen hard at work in the kitchenette. She was preparing the ramen he'd bought yesterday, stirring the noodles inside the pot and allowing it to boil up. But after a second, she turned to smile at him.

"It'll be ready soon."

He merely nodded and took a seat at the couch. After a while, the vixen came back with two bowls of ramen and the two bottles of water. Placing them down at the coffee table in front of them, the vixen sat next to him as the countdown drew closer.

"So…" He started, turning to face her. "Are you willing to start over with me?" After asking he turned back to the TV but his attention was still focused on the vixen beside him.

She smirked at his question. "I thought you'd know the answer by now."

"I guess I do." He looked back and found that she was a lot closer than before.

Instinctively, they leaned in before connecting their muzzles together for another kiss. He couldn't stop admiring her for such actions. Her soft lips against his was the first thing in ages that felt right to him followed by her scent which he couldn't help but breathe in as the kiss got deeper. This was longer than the one they had just minutes ago in the bedroom and for a moment, he thought that he no longer had the need to breathe anymore.

But soon, his lungs started to scream at him to pull away and take a breath which he reluctantly obeyed. He eased away from her and stared into her turquoise gaze to see the genuine look of love and longing. He even thought that he noticed a hint of lust as well. But as much as he wished to continue and focus all his attention on her, the TV brought up the big announcement which both of them turned to look at.

"_And now the countdown is starting! From ten and here we go!"_

They exchanged a glance and picked up the bottles, popping the cap off of them.

"_Ten!"_

"Hm." He hummed, a strange feeling creeping up to him as he raised the bottle up.

"_Nine!"_

"What is it?" She asked in curiosity, getting his attention.

"_Eight!"_

"Nothing." He smiled at her before looking back at the bottle and inspecting it. "For some reason, I felt like I've done this before except it's for a different occasion."

"_Seven!"_

"I think you're growing crazy." She joked, smirking at him.

"_Six!"_

"I guess." He turned to face her again and giving her a goofy smile. "I might have to go have my brain checked!" He said in a playful tone, matching hers.

"_Five!"_

"Well." She looked back at the TV, watching the numbers fall. "I'll be sure to get you to a doctor first thing in the morning."

"_Four!"_

He chuckled, raising the bottle to her. "That'd be great."

"_Three!"_

She raised her bottle as well, their uncapped tops only an inch away from each other. They exchanged a smile, mentally admiring the one at their side. They made a vow although unspoken, they could see it just by looking into the other's eyes. They would never split apart again.

"_Two!"_

"To new life and a new year." He finally said, looking at her with an expectant gaze.

"To new life and a new year." She repeated his words before they tapped their bottle's lips together.

"_One! Happy New Year!"_

"Happy new year, Krys."

"Happy new year to you too." She answered him, placing her bottle down and lunged at him and throwing her arms around him.

Now laying on the couch, the two locked gazes once again. Now he could see the lust in her eyes becoming more noticeable. He only wondered how long she had bottled that up. Soon though, he was jerked from his thoughts as she leaned in to kiss him once again. As they continued the kiss, his mind couldn't help but allow a single thought to stick in his mind.

_This is the start of a new beginning._

'_Yes it is Fox, yes it is…'_

…O…O…O…O…O…

**Author's Note: And there you have it! Just to tell you, this was intended to have heavy references at times. one was by accidental and involves drama. :P I know this story might not be appealing to some of you, so if you can, share how you'd go with this situation the two were in! And just for fun; there are three heavy references to popular SF fanfics, guess them out and be shouted out in whichever story 'Last Wish' or 'Into the Night' gets updated first!**

**Another thing; I'm thinking of doing the next one-shot on Febuary 14th! And if there's a special festive event in between that you'd like me to write out, say so in the review or PM me!**

**Hope you enjoyed this one-shot and I'll be extremely happy if you leave a feedback!**

**Lastly, I will thank Cpt. Fox again for beta reading! I swear without him, I'd probably end up writing a terrible story with terrible grammar and such!**

**Now for the finale: Happy New Year everyone!**


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